Load handling apparatus



March 23, 1954- A, DR TT 2, 72,995

LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- IN V EN TOR.

March 23, 1954 DROTT 2,672,995

LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 gm Q Q a g N *Q kg O f w *R s INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOAD dontinuati'on of application Serial No. January 25, I932; application 574,505, May. 22,

1 Claim- (Cl. 214-440) 'I'hisapplicatiorr is a continuation of: applicathan: S. N'. 574 505, filed Jannary25=r 1:945; now abandoned favor of' this application.

The invention relates to: load hand-ling: apparatus.

In many-types of load handlingequipment heaw loads have to be transported over uneven ground. which causeszjolting of theload, andthe jolting shocks. are transmitted; directly to the transporting apparatus and to -the operator of suclra'pparatus The object of the present in vention is to provide a hydraulically operated cushioning mechanism associated with the hy draulic support handling" the load which practically eliminates theseshocks tothe transport-- ing vehicle and to the operator ofsuchvehicle; thus decreasing. wear on the vehicle, decreasing maintenance expense and increasing life of the hydraulic equipment, and reducingfatigue to the operator due. to such shocks.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and more-particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is an elevation view of a apparatus equipped with a device invention;

Fig. 2 is a. diagrammatic view of the hydraulic system used in Fig. 1 and includingthe cushioningdeviceembodying the invention.

As illustrative of a type of load-handling, ape: paratus to which this inventionmay be applieds I show in Fig. 1 a self-propelled transporting vehicle 3, embodying endless propelling treads 4 connected in any conventional or suitable manner with the engine or prime mover 5 mounted on the frame 6 of the vehicle. Also shown associated with the track frame 1 are supporting brackets 8 on opposite sides of the vehicle (only one being shown) forming mountings for a pair of load carrying arms 9 pivoted thereto at I 0. The arms 9 project out in front of the vehicle and at the outer ends of these arms a digging bucket or shovel H is pivotally mounted at 12. The outer ends of the arms 9 are also provided with shoes l3 permitting them to rest on and travel over the ground on which the machine is working.

The arms 9 are adapted to be raised or lowered or held in different positions of adjustment by a pair of hydraulic actuators, one at each side of the vehicle including a double acting cylinder I4 pivotally mounted at one end on a pivot pin 15 on the bracket 8 and having a piston l6 working therein with a piston rod l1 projecting load handling embodying the and the dumping: of the load, a double acting hydraulic cylinder 211 is pivotally mounted on each of the arms 9-; and its operating piston it is connected at its outer end to a rod 2? which at its outer end is connected by a pivot pin'23 *to the one-side of the bucket H, the cylinder being pivotal-ly connected by a pin 24 to abracket arm 25' onthe arm 9; With such a form of'load handling apparatus the movement or thepistons the cylinders: M acts to swing the arms downwardly to a load receiving position in which the bucket is in aposition to dig or scoop upmaterial during the forward movement of the vehicle and to swing said arms upwardly to aload carrying posifion in which the arms are held by the hydraulic system and in which position also the bucket may then be tilted todischarge its lead through the operation of the hydraulic: cylinders 20. In an apparatus or'this kind and in many other types of hydraulically operated load handling apparatus, the shocks impartedto the vehicle and through it to the operator as thevehicle' travels over uneven ground, or

when: for any reason the load, which may be" the bucket in loaded or unloaded condition-,is jolted; are quite severe; in ord'erto eliminate such shocks or'oth'ershocksas may be impose-d by the load: upon the vehicle I providea cushioning means in the hydraulic system as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the numeral 23 designates a suitable motor driven hydraulic pump receiving operating fluid from a supply tank 27 connected to said pump by a supply pipe 28 and delivering pressure fluid to a pipe or line 29 connecting with a control valve mechanism 35 of any suitable and well known construction from which surplus fluid is carried by a pipe 3| back to the tank 21. The lifting ends of the cylinders M are connected by pipes 32 and 33 to one port of the valve mechanism, and the other ends of the cylinders are connected by pipes 34 and 35 to another port of the valve mechanism. The valve 36 which controls these ports may be operated in any suitable manner from a lever 37 pivoted at 38 and operatively connected by a link 39 with the valve 36, the valve 36 as herein shown being a piston type valve that slides in the housing of the valve mechanism 30. Such forms of hydraulic operating circuits are old and well known, and variousv other circuits including one or more hydraulic cylinders may be used in combination with the cushioning mechanism embodying this invention.

As herein shown, the cushioning mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder 40, one end of which has a piston 4| working therein and a pipe connection 42 connecting this end of the cylinder with the hoist end of the cylinders N, that is, to the pipe 32; As a consequence, the piston 4| moves in response to hydraulic pressures existing in the load lifting and supporting hydraulic circuit, and to cushion shocks imposed in this circuit through the jolting of the load I provide a spring 43 interposed between the piston and a head 44 fixed to the other end of the cylinder 49 from that of the pipe connection 42.

For adjusting the load carrying capacity of this spring I provide a threaded adjusting rod 45 secured to the piston 4| and having a complementary threaded sleeve 46 mounted thereon and slidably movable through a bore 41 in the head 44 and provided with an exteriorly disposed wrench engaging head 48, the exposed end of the rod 45 also having a wrench engaging part 49. With this construction initial tensioning of the spring 43 is effected by turning the sleeve 46 relative to the rod, the shouldered head 48 under these conditions then abutting against the fixed head 44 of the cylinder 40. When, however, due to the movement of the piston 4| the spring is further compressed, the sleeve 46 is free to travel or slide outwardly in the head 44 as indicated in the drawings by an outward position there shown. The sleeve also protects the head 44 from wear that might be occasioned by the threads of the rod 45.

With this construction also when due to a jolting of the load, pressure waves are set up in the hydraulic fluid in the lifting ends of the cylinders I4, these pressure waves are transmitted to the chamber 50 of the cylinder 40 and act against the piston 4| and move the same against the coinpression of the spring 43 whichwill yield under severe fluctuations of the pressure so as to take up the shocks and in so yielding will eliminate the transfer of these shocks to the vehicle or the operator of the machine.

These shocks are particularly noticeable in load handling devices where the load is being transported over uneven ground, but the cushioning device herein-shown and described may be used on other hydraulically operated load suspending equipment where'it is desirable to elimia pair of arms pivoted 4 nate shocks from load to the load carrying support.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claim.

In a load handling apparatus, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle which includes a body, a pair of upstanding supporting brackets and a chassis for supporting the body and the brackets, at their rear ends to the upper part of said brackets at a point well above the level of the horizontal plane through the center of the-chassis and extending forwardly for a substantial distance ahead of said body, an earth digging bucketfcarried on the forward ends of said arms, a pair of hydraulic jacks each including a cylinder and a cooperating piston, said jacks being connected with said brackets and arms, pipes interconnecting said cylinders for applying equalized pressure to the lifting ends of said jacks, a hydraulic cylinder for absorbing shocks, connected to said pipes so as to be responsive to fluctuations in hydraulic pressure in said pair of cylinders, said shock absorbing cylinder including a spring-loaded piston acting in opposition to the hydraulic pressures occurring in said pair of cylinders, said jacks extending forwardly and upwardly from a lower portion of said brackets to said arms when said arms are in raised position, said jacks extending forwardly in a substantially horizontal plane from said lower portion of the brackets to said arms when said arms are lowered to the digging position, said jacks,

when in said substantially horizontal position, acting to oppose the major component of the substantially horizontal forces imposed on said bucket and arms during forward digging movement of said apparatus, thereby relieving the body of the apparatus of digging shock forces transmitted along said arms.

EDWARD A. DRO-TT.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

